The fishing ship Horiei Maru sank after collision with the bulk carrier Nikkei Tiger on 320 nautical miles off Honshu island. The accident happened far away from the shore in Pacific ocean after immediate change of the course of the fishing ship. On board of the fishing ship Horiei Maru there were 22 crew members and only 9 of them were rescued, as 13 others are missing in the cold water of the ocean. The bulk carrier Nikkei Tiger did not suffered any sufficient damages and was able to assist for search and rescue operations of the fishermen. The bulk carrier was proceeded to Eeat-North East direction, with course to North America, when on the radar appeared small fishing ship. The duty officer took safety maneuver to ensure large distance between the two ships, but the fishing vessel suddenly changed its course in front of the bow of the quite larger cargo ship.

The fishing ship Martha Bruhns ran aground off Sylt island in Germany. The accident happened, after the ship broke its propeller, which raveled in the nets. The crew of the fishing ship tried to drop anchor, but the current and the winds were too strong and the anchor dragged. The ship Martha Bruhns headed to the surf zone of the Sylt island and sank aground in the sand banks of the shallows. At the scene of the accident were sent two rescue boats and one fishing ship, which was operating in the vicinity. The strong and heavy salvage operation was successful and the vessel was towed from the danger zone and later escorted to the port of Hornum. The fishing ship Martha Bruhns was berthed in the port and will be repaired, as the damage in the propulsion system was sufficient and will not be able to continue operations.

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The fishing ship Amaltal Columbia caught fire 45 nautical miles off Lyttelton, New Zealand. On board of the vessel there were 45 crew members, who were immediately evacuated to a liferaft and later taken into a Coastguard’s rescue boat. The fire on board started from the meal hold, because of technical malfuction in the cooling system. The officers closed the cargo hold and tried to extinguish the fire by interrupting the access of oxygen, but without any success. All the crew abandoned the ship and two tugs headed to the vessel trying to extinguish the fire. The main engine is also affected and might defected during the accident. The fishing ship Amaltal Columbia is now drifting with 7.5 knots to New Zealand coast and two tugs are performing salvage operations but the big swell and the strong wind are delaying it.

The fishing ship Sarah Jayne capsized and sank 2.5 nautical miles off Brixham, United Kingdom. The vessel was trawling in English Channel, when the nets hung and the ship god heavy list. The capsize was immediate and one of the crew members was not able to escape from the trap of the sinking ship. The other two crew members of the vessel Sarah Jayne were rescued from the Brixham Coastguard. The search and rescue operations still continue, as one fast boat is engaged with perambulation of the region. Also all the vessel passing through the English Channel are warned to look for the missing crew member of the fishing trawler.

The fishing ship Chloe T sent a distress signal in English Chanel about water ingress in the engine room. The vessel was operating on 17 nautical miles off Salcombe, UK and got serious failure, when the ship started sinking. In the beginning the crew started pumps to take out the water, but soon after the accident the engine stopped and the ship got full blackout. All the crew abandoned the fishing ship to a life rafts and the Brixham Coastguard sent a rescue boat and helicopter to the scene of the accident. The ships in the vicinity also responded to the distress signal, reaching the life raft before the rescuers. All the five crew members from the fishing ship Chloe T were in good condition and transported to the closest city, where will pass medical examination. The ship almost sank, when the rescuer boat reached the accident and they were not able to perform any salvage operation.

Two fishing ships sank in East China Sea, because of the heavy sea and the typhoon Bolaven. The two fishing ships were operating with 34 crew member son board, when waves with heights of over 4 meters hit their boards and capsized them. The accident happened 1 nautical mile off SE Jeju Island coast. The Chinese fishing vessels were caught by the typhoon, which caused gale-force winds and big waves. Three crew members were able to swim to the shore and informed the local authorities about the accident, but the other 31 seamen are missing. The local authorities are not able to organize search and rescue operations for the missing men, because of the storm in the region and the giant waves.

Three fishing boats sank in Barangay Aguauan, Philippines, after being dragged to the rocks at the shoreline. The FB Lady Jane, FB Joshua and FB John Mark-I, which were anchored in the bay, were hit by heavy sea and strong winds, due to a tropical storm in the region. The fishing boats dragged the anchors and drifted to the rocky shallow, damaging seriously the hulls. All the fishing boats sank into the waters of South China Sea. One crew member is missing after the accident, as all other people were rescued with the life rafts of the ships. The missing seaman was identified as Archangel Vicoy, who is from San Jose, Antique. The coast guard sent immediately the rescue ship to the scene of the accident and took all the the people from life rafts. The search and rescue operations of the missing fisherman is in progress, as in it are engaged two rescue boats and helicopter.

The crew members of the Taiwanese fishing boat Shiuh Fu No 1, which was hijacked by Somali pirates was released yesterday and taken to safety. The boat was attacked 19 months ago in the region of Madagascar island with crew of 13 Chinese and 12 Vietnamese people on board. The crew on board was released, but the fishing boat Shiuh Fu No 1 had run aground and was not able to re-float. The 25 crew members were taken from a Chinese navy ship to Tanzania, from where were transfered in Taiwan. The negotiations with the Shiuh Fu Fishery company, which is operating with the fishing vessel, started a few weeks after the hijacking of Shiuh Fu No 1, but were heavy and both sides did not meet any agreement. Finally on 17th July 2012, the hostages were released by the Somali pirates and taken to safety.

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Comments Off on Italiash fishing trawler Fatima II was hijacked in Mediterranean Sea

The Italian fishing trawler Fatima II was hijacked after mutiny on board. The vessel had 7 crew members on board – 4 Italians, 2 Egyptians and a Tunisian, when an ethnic conflict caused mutiny. The Egyptian and Tunisian seamen killed the fishing ship’s master and hijacked the vessel. The other three Italian crew members were forced to board a life raft and were left into the the sea. The accident happened in Mediterranean Sea on position 103 miles off Libyan coast. The Italians, who escaped from the ship phoned to their homes and were found by cargo ship, who carried the seamen to Greece. The three crew members are no injured in good condition, but the fishing ship is missing. The Italian authorities started investigation about the accident together with the North African countries, for searching for the fishing trawler Fatima II. Most probably the ship is somewhere along the North Africa Med coast, as the the coast guards of Tunisia, Libya and Egypt are searching for the missing trawler.

The fishing ship Argonavt with 8 seamen on board sank in La Perouse Strait between Russia and Japan. The ship suffered water ingress from the engine room, which quickly flooding the entire ship and the vessel lost stability. The ship Argonavt sank a few minutes after the accident and sank in La Perouse Strait. All the crew members were rescued by Cambodia-flagged cargo ship, which was in vicinity. The weather was good and there were no storm in the region, during the accident, so most probably the accident was caused by human mistake.